Ironing machine



March 19, 1935. M, E Y 1,994 910 IRONING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 1932 V4 Sheets-Sheet lv INVENTR Mm 5555.-

ATTORNEY w. M EMERY 1,994,910

"IRONING MAC-HIJENE Filed Sept. 10, 1952 March 19, 1935.

4 s eets-sheet 2 INVENTOR flzffi'am ffiwy ATTORNEY March 19, 1935. w1,994,910

IRONING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet March 19, 1935. w RY1,994,910

' IRONING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 19:52 4 sheets-sheet 4 WITNESSES: iINVENTOR gf 4 $4614 aim (5 Patented Mar. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES IRONINGMACHINE William M. Emery, Lansdownc, Pa., assignor to WestinghouseElectric & Manufacturing Company, a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication September 10, 1932, Serial No. 632,498

16 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing machines or mangles or any othermachine in which it is desirable to control the clutch or motor in likemanner to that herein set forth.

5 An object of my invention is to provide a new and novel control meansfor a power driven mech anism.

Another object is to provide a single control means for an ironingmachine which shall both control the movement of the ironing elementstowards and away from each other and also control a frictional movementbetween the elements.

Another object is to provide an electrically controlled ironer, theelements of which will automatically separate should the electricalpower be interrupted.

The invention may be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevational view of the right-handend of the ironing machine;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the roll,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a clutch mecha- 25 nism and gear reductionconstituting a part of my invention, a

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the motor casing and clutch mechanismshown in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a switch with 30 the housing removed,

Fig. 6 is a view, in end elevation, of the switch with the housing,

Fig. '7 is a d agrammatical view showing the electrical relationship ofthe. parts,

Fig. 8 is a. sectional view through the roll struc ture, taken on theline VIII-VIII of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 9 is an exploded view of a clutch forming part of the mechanism.

Only those details of the structure of the ma- 40 chine will bedescribed which are necessary to the exposition of the invention hereinrecited,

inasmuch as a more detailed description is to be found in the severalcopending applications of the inventor, application Ser. No. 635,521filed Sept. 30, 1932, and application Ser. No. 630,351,

filed Aug. 25, 1932.

Fig. 1 shows an ironer to illustrate the applicat ou of the invention.Inasmuch as it is applicable to most of the ironing machines on themarket applicant does not wish in any way to limit his invention to anyone type of ironer. Fig. 1 shows a base 12 adapted to rest on a table onwh ch a shoe support 13 and a heated shoe 14 are rig dly mounted. Asingle central roll support 15 is resiliently mounted on base 12. Thissupport other including arms 19, spindles 23 and 24, motor 26 andgearbox 27 which is mounted to swing as a unit on pintles 21 in yokeends 17 and18.

Rotatably mounted on spindles 23 and 24 is a padded roll structure 28,including a padded cylinder and three supporting spiders fixed theretojournalled on the spindles 23 and 24. Motor 26, as shown, includes ahousing 29, a stator 31, fixed to said housing by suitable screws orbolts and a rotor 32 with a shaft 33 on which is cut a pinion 34'whichextends into gearbox 27. It should be noted that the stator in thisironer is not bolted to some fixed support, as it is in most motorapplications, but is free to turn or swing on pintles 21 towards andaway from the shoe 14 as a result of reactive forces. Extending from thegearbox 27 is a shaft 36 having thereon a pinion 37. The

operable connections between the rotor and said pinion will behereinafter described. Motor driven pinion 37 meshes with an internalgear 38 which is fixed to' the roll structure 28.

The roll and the power unit structure 27, 26, 23 and 24 are shown in thefull lines of Fig. 1 as hanging in stable equilibrium from pintles 21.This is the normal position of these parts into which they moveautomatically when the supply of energy is interrupted for reasonshereinafter set forth. It is apparent that, with the parts in thisposition, if the motor is energized to'cause the rotor 32 to rotate, theroll will rotate on the spindles. If, however the roll is retarded ortemporarily prevented from rotation, the forces generated in the motorwill react toturnthestator 31, which is anintegral part of the powerunit structure. Such. movement of the stator will cause the whole powerunit structure to swing or tum on pintles 21. Since this bodily movementof the power unit structure is a reactive movement from the preventedforces which would normally rotate the roll, it is apparent that thedirection of the turning movement of the power unit structure will beopposite to the direction of rotation of the roll.

This is not because of any structural peculiarities, but primarily tothe physical law that action and reaction are equal and opposite. Theroll, as viewed in Fig. 1, normally turns counterclockwise andaccordingly, for the reasons just stated, arms 19 will turn clockwiseand swing the roll structure bodily to the shoe.

A brake band 39 constitutes the retarding means above-mentioned,operating as it does in the inside of the left end of the roll andhaving an anchorage fixed-in definite relationship to the yoke ends 17and 18 preventing the brake band 39 from rotating with the roll.

Fig. 8 is a view of this anchorage means, taken from my copendingapplication Serial No. 630,351.

The brake band 39 is expanded by an expansion spring 39a. A strap 39bloosely connects brake 39 with spindle 23. An arm 390 has a pivotalattachment to strap 39b at 39d and to yoke arm 17 at 39c.

When the roll has swung to the position shown by the broken line circlein Fig. 1, it is prevented from swinging further by the shoe, but ifnecessary stop pins 40 in members 17 and 18 may be provided. When theroll can no longer swing bodily, if pinion 3'7 continues to be revolved,the roll must rotate against the shoe 14. This is the normal conditionwhen fabrics are being ironed.

Since the roll structure and the power unit structure hang in stableequilibrium from pintles 21 when at rest, then whenever they swing toshoe 14 they must swing against gravity. This gravity is a constantforce tending to disengage the elements and return the roll to itsposition of stable equilibrium. Accordingly, if pinion 37 is disengagedby a clutch and free to turn in any direction or the reverse directionwhen the roll was against the shoe, then the force of gravity abovedescribed will cause the roll and power unit structure to drop away fromthe shoe. In this movement, the drag against rotation by brake band 39is not effective to interfere with the dropping away of the roll andpower unit structure because the power unit structure in dropping, ifpinion 37 is free, can turn within roll 28 independently to a largeextent of roll rotation.

Figs. 3,4 and 9 show a spur gear 41 having three internal ratchet teeth42, loosely mounted on a shaft 43 at one end thereof, and with which therotor shaft pinion 34 meshes. On the other end of shaft 43 there isloosely mounted a ratchet wheel 44, having external teeth (see Figs. 3,4 and 9) and a pinion 46 integral with ratchet wheel 44. Pinion46'meshes with a spur gear 47 fixed on shaft. 36 already mentioned.Shaft 43 is rotatably mounted at its ends in suitable bearings ingearbox 27 and has an arm 48, on the sides of which are pivotallymounted two pawl arms 49 and 51. A portion 52 of arm 49 (see Fig. 4) isso shaped as to engage with the internal ratchet teeth 42 and a portion53 of arm 51 (see Fig. 4) is shaped to engage with the external teeth ofratchet wheel 44. Other portions 54 and 56 of arms 49 and 51,respectively, constitute lever arms for a purpose to be hereinafternoted. The pawls 52 and 53 are normally held in operative engagementwith their cooperating ratchet teeth by a torsional spring 5'7. A smallfrictional drag, in the form of a disc 58 and a helical compressionspring 59, is located between arm 48 and gear wheel 41.

These parts are shown in an exploded view! in Fig. 9, from which therelation of the parts to each other will be clearly apparent. This viewis the same as one of the drawings in my copending application, SerialNo. 635,521, filed September 30, 1932.

It should be noted that gear 41 and ratchet wheel 44 are mounted on aloose shaft and are only rigidly related when the pawls each engagetheir respective ratchet teeth.

An electromagnet 61 includes a fixed coil 62, a stationary yoke 63, anda reciprocating armature 64 integral with which is an obstacle 66 whichis normally projected into the gearbox 27 by a spring .67 when themagnet 61 is not energized.

Obstacle 66 projects far enough into the gearbox to engage pawl leverportions 54 and 56 but when magnet 61'is energized obstacle 66 iswithdrawn sufficiently against the action of spring 67 to permit pawllever portions 54 and 56 to pass and to permit said lever arms tothereafter revolve in engagement with one of the internal ratchet teeth42 and one of the external ratchet teeth of ratchet wheel 44.

When the obstacle 66 interrupts the rotation of arms 49 and 51, gear 41continues to turn the assembly including shaft 43, arm 48 and ratchetwheel 44 a slight additional distance (about 20 degrees) before theclutch completely disengages pawl arms 49 and 51. During this finalfractional turn, pawl arms 49 and 51 turn slightly relatively to arm 48on their pivotal mounting thereon, which results in the disengagement ofpawls 52 and 53 from their respective ratchet wheels. In actualoperation, pawl arms 49 and 51 being somewhat independent of each other,it is arrangedthat pawl arm 51 is disengaged from ratchet wheel 44 atrifle prior to the disengagement of pawl arm ,49 from ratchet teeth 42,in order to secure smooth operation.

When disengagement has taken place then gear 41 continues to revolve,and shaft 43 with arm 48 and pawls 52 and 53 are held from turningforward by obstacle 66 and held in this position by friction plate 58.The ratchet wheel 44 and integral spur pinion 46 are however left freeon shaft 43 to turn in any direction. This is necessary because, aspreviously described, in order to separate the roll from the shoe, thisgear must turn backwards that is opposite from its driving direction.

A novel feature. of this invention is the placing of a clutch whicheither governs the rotation .of the roll or the relative movement of theelements or both, between the first and second reduction of the gears.The speed of the trans mission is such at this point that very quickaction is obtained which is especially desirable for stopping themachine.

Another feature is that the work of the magnet is not varied by the loadon the transmission or the pressure or friction developed between thepressing elements 14 and 28. Y e

The actual disengagement of the clutch parts is effected by the motor,or the momentum of the rotating parts, particularly of the armature. Inactual models applicant has found that the mo-* mentum of an armature ofstandard construction is sufficient to disengage the clutch when thecurrent is cut off at the source, in which case the obstacle isprojected into the gearbox almost instantly by spring 67, while theother parts continue to rotate under momentum sufficient to produce theeffect just described.

However, if the motor stops where the roll is against the shoe, and themagnet is energized withdrawing the obstacle, then the roll will stop,the clutch will remain engaged, and ratchet wheel 44 and pinion gear 46will not be freed. Under these conditions the disengaging force, such asgravity, is not suflicient to give a reverse rotation to the armature sothat the roll 28 is held stationary by the inertial and frictionalforces of the gear train and motor in a positionof continued pressureagainst the shoe. The gear ratio is about one to three hundred andfifty. While spur gears are theoretically reversible, the inertia of thearmature tending to resist rotation becomes a factor on account of thehigh gear ratio as well as on account of the friction of the parts.

Figs. and 6 show a control switch 70 for the ironer, the switchincluding abase 71, a cover 72. and a manually actuable knob 73 outsideof the cover. the base, and a contact member 76 is secured to the otherend of the arm. The knob 73 is secured to a push'rod 75 which projectsthrough cover 72 and engages spring arm 74 intermediate its ends, toactuate the same. A second spring arm 77, of return bent shape has oneend fixed on the base, a contact member 78 being mounted on the free endof arm 77 to be engaged by contact member 76. A second contact member 79is mounted on the spring arm 77 spaced from contact member 76, and isnormally engaged by a substantially fixed contact member 81.

An energizing circuit for the ironer includes two supply circuitconductors 82 and 83 and a main control switch 84, which may beconstituted by a wall switch or by a plug as shown in' Fig. 1. Aconductor 86 extends from the switch 84 (and supply circuit conductor82) to spring arm 77, and a conductor 87 extends from contact member 81to one terminal of the motor 26, the other terminal of the motor beingconnected to the other supply'circuit conductor 83 by a conductor 88.

One terminal of the,coil 62 of electromagnet 61 is connected to theconductor 88 by a conductor 89, and the other terminal of the coil 62 isconnected by a conductor 91 to spring arm 74. The spring arm 74 is alsoconnected, through a manually-actuable switch 92 (see Figs. 1 and 7) tothe conductor 87.

A circuit normally energizing the motor may' be traced as follows: fromsupply circuit conductor 82 through switch 84, conductor .86, arm 77,contact members 79 and 81, conductor-87 motor 26, conductor 88, andthrough switch 84 to the second supply circuit conductor 83.

The magnet coil 62 is energized through two parallel circuits, havingcertain parts in common, the first circuit being as follows: fromconductor 82 switch 84, conductor 86, arm '77, contact-members 79 and81, conductor 87, switch 92,- conductor 91, coil 62, conductors 89 and88 and through switch 84 to the second supply circuit conductor 83. Thesecond energizing circuit is ative positions shown in Fig. 5 of thedrawings,

if switch 84 is closed as by placing the plug in a cooperating socket,the motor 26 will be energized and the motor armature and gear wheel 41will revolve, but no other operation of the device A spring arm 74 hasone end secured to' 73 to cause engagement of contact members 76 and 78,a circuit will be closed through coil 62', whereby obstacle 66 is movedout of engagement with lever arms 54 and 56. This causes the clutch willbe efiected. If now an operator pushes knob parts to engage and effectrotation of pinion 37 whereby the roll is moved into engagement with theshoe and after having been moved to full ironing operation, it is onlynecessary to close switch 92, in addition to closing switch 84.

If it is desired to effect a pressing operation as by intermittentlymoving the roll against the shoe and holding it there for, a shortperiod of time to obtain non-frictionalengagement this .may be done bymeans of the control switch of Figs. 5 and 6 as follows: the operatormay first close the coil-energizing circuit hereinbefore described, bypressing on the knob 73 to effect engagement of contacts 76 and 78, tocause the roll to tightly engage the shoe and to press material locatedtherebetween. The operator then presses harder on the knob 73, wherebyspring arm 77 is moved to efiect disengagement of contact members 79 and81. This deenergizes the motor so that, as has already been described,the roll 28 ceases to rotate, but remains in pressure engagementwithshoe 14. 4

After the roll and shoe have remained in this position a suflicientlength of time to dry out the fabric being pressed, the rotation of theroll maybe again started by removing the extra pressure on the button73, while retaining the slight initial pressure thereon. Under theseconditions contact member 79 again engages contact member 81 therebyclosing the motor circuit.

If it is desirable to separate the roll from the shoe after stopping theroll, without again rotating the roll, the operator first makes surethat hand switch 92 is open and then removes the pressure entirely frombutton 73. In this event the magnet will be deenergized and the obstacleprojectedinto the gearbox, the motor will start and theclutch willdisengage, freeing ratchet wheel 44 and pinion 46, which as previouslydescribed permits gravity or other forces to separate the roll 28 fromshoe 14.

If the operator when ironing comes to a particularly thick or dampportion of the fabric and his necessary to slow down the revolvingof theroll in order to dry more thoroughly this portion of the fabric, it canbe done by depressing the button '73 and then releasing it a trifle,breaking andmaking the contact of 76 and 78 in quick succession. In thisway it is possible to slow down the speed of the motor and the rollwithout actually stopping either, and this can be accomplishedconveniently and without interfering with the pressure.

The device and system embodying my invention thus provide a simpleandeasily actuated means for selectively effecting either a frictionalironing or only a pressing operation, the control means being a manuallyactuable switch. My invention provides an ironer having a co-operatingroll and shoe, and means to selectively-effect rotatable andnon-rotatable engagement of the shoe and the roll, whereby to effecteither a pressure engagement alone or a simultaneous pressure andrelatively rotatable engagement. It ls also adaptable to a pressutilizing a buck and a pressing head as pressing elements to controlating pressing members adapted to move into and out of pressingengagement and to have frictional sliding movement relative to eachother, motor driven mechanism including an electromagneticallycontrolled clutch operatively associated with one of said pressingmembersfor actuating it to'eil'ect said movements, and amultiple contactplural-position switch effective in one position to cause operation ofthe clutch to effect first a pressing movement and then a rotativemovement of one of said pressing members relatively to the other andeffective in another position to cause deenergization of the motor.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the switch ispressure-actuated and the two positions in the order named are insequential order of increasing pressure on the switch.

3. An ironing machine including two co-operating pressing members havingnormally disengaged positions relatively to each other, motor drivenmechanism including an electromagnetically controlled clutch associatedwith one of said pressing members to actuate the same, and aplural-position pressure-actuated switch controlling the motor and theclutch and effective in its first actuated position to energize theclutch to cause rotative engagement of the two pressing members to ironfabrics placed therebetween and effective on continuing movement in thesame direction to its second actuated position to deenergize the motorand hold the two pressing members in non-rotative engagement to pressfabrics placed therebetween. V

4. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing members havingnormally disengaged positions relatively to each other, motor drivenmechanism including an electromagnetically controlled clutch associatedwith one of said pressing members to actuate the same, and aplural-position switch controlling the motor and the clutch andeifective in its first actuated position to energize the clutch to causerotative engagement of the two pressing members to iron fabrics placedtherebetween and effective on continuing movement in the same directionto its second actuated position, to deenergize the motor and hold thetwo pressing members in nonrotative engagement to press fabrics placedtherebetween and effective upon release to cause return of the pressingmembers to the normal disengaged positions.

5. An ironing machine including cooperating pressing and ironing membersmounted for movement toward and away from each other, motor driven meansfor actuating one of said memhers and control means for the motor drivenmeans effective inits first actuated position to cause rotativeengagement of the two members to iron fabrics placed therebetween andeffective on continuing movement in the same direction to its secondactuated position to deenergize the motor, the two members remaining innonrotative engagement.

6. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing and ironingmembers mounted for relative movement toward and away from each other, amotor driven means, and control means therefor effective in one actuatedposition manually to cause a frictional and pressing engagement of thetwo members to iron fabrics placed therebetween and effective in anotheractuated position to'prevent the frictional part of the engagement ofthe members. 7

'I. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing and ironingmembers mounted for relative movement towards and away from one another,a motor driven mechanism and control means therefor effective in itsfirst actuated position to cause a frictional and pressing engagement 0the two members to iron fabrics placed therebetween and effective oncontinuing said control movement to its second actuated position toprevent the frictional part of the engagement of the two members.

8. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing members, meansto move the pressing members toward and away from one another and toslide them frictionally one against theother, a motor to actuate themoving means and control means to govern the motor and the moving meansand having at least three positions and effective in one position tocause a pressure and frictional engagement between the members andeffective in another position to cause a pressure engagement onlybetween the members and effective in a third position to cause aseparation of the members.

9. A device as set forth in claim 6 in which the control means is.amanually operable plural-contact switch.

.10. An ironing machine including two relatively movable cooperatingpressing members,

motor driven mechanism including an electromagnetically controlledclutch actuating one of said members to move it into and out of pressingengagement with and to have relative frictional sliding engagement onthe other member, and operable pressure-actuated switch means for themotor and the electromagnetically controlled clutch, to control them toselectively effect' any one of said plurality of movements.

11. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing membersadapted to move into and out of pressing engagement and to havefrictional sliding movement relatively to each other,

motor driven mechanism including an electromagnetically controlledclutch operatively associated with one of said pressing members foractuating it to efiect said movements, and a multiple contact switchelectrically connected to the motor and to the electromagnet andactuable by a continuing movement thereof in the same direction tocontrol the motor driven mechanism including the electromagnet toselectively elfect any one of said movements.

12. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing membersadapted to move into and out of pressing engagement and to havefrictional sliding movement relatively to each other, motor drivenmechanism including an electromagnetically controlled clutch operativelyassociated with one of said pressing members for actuating it to effectsaid movements, and a multiple contact switch electrically connected tothe motor and to the electromagnet to cause the motor driven mechanismto selectively effect ,a pressing and then a frictional movement or apressing movement only of one of said pressing members.

13. An ironing machine including two coopcrating pressing members, motordriven operating means therefor and an electrical control means actuatedby an initial movement to cause a frictional pressing engagement of thetwo members and actuated by a further movement in the same direction todeenergize the motor whereby pressing engagement only of the two membersis effected.

14. In an ironing machine including a fixed shoe, a roll normallyseparated from the shoe, a support for the roll adapted to permit itsbodily movement towards the shoe, a motor operatively connected to theroll to rotate the same and operatively connected to the roll support tomove the roll toward the shoe and a single clutch means for the motor totransmit forces to produce both said movements.

15. An ironing machine including two pressing members, operating meansfor effecting movement of one of said members toward and away from theother, an electric circuit, a motor in said circuit for actuating theoperating means, an electromagnetically controlled clutch for theoperating means, a manually actuable plural position switch in thecircuit controlling the motor and the clutch control, and efiective uponactuation to a first position by an operator to energize the clutchcontrol and the motor, to cause engagement of the two members and uponfurther actuation in the same direction, to a second position todeenergize the motor while maintaining the energization of the clutchcontrol, whereby pressing engagement only of the two members ismaintained, disengagement of the two pressing members being effected byreturn of the switch to its initial position to deenergize the clutchcontrol only or by deenergization of the electric circuit.

16. An'ironing machine including a fixed pressing member and acooperating pivotally mounted pressing member, a motor-driven gear trainand an electromagnetically controlled clutch in the gear train connectedwith the pivotally mounted pressing member'to cause it to move towardand into engagement with the fixed member and to rotate thereagainst, asingle plural-position switch and electric connections between it, themotor and the clutch electromagnet, said switch being actuable by afirst movement to energize the clutch electromagnet to cause the geartrain to move the pivotally mounted pressing member into engagement withand then rotate against the fixed pressing member, by a further movement in the same direction to deenergize the motor to stop the rotationof the pivotally mounted pressing member, by a third movement in thereverse direction to energize the motor to cause relative rotarymovement and by a further movement in the reverse direction todeenergize the clutch electromagnet and cause separation of the twopressing members.

WILLIAM M. EMERY.

